Rail-joint.



N0- 829,052. PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906. L. A. BALL.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2a, 1900.

1n: NoRRvs VEIEIS co, WASHINGTON a, c

LEW'IS A. BALL, OF PAWHUSKA, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 21, 1906.

Application filed Ap 23, 1906. Serial No. 313,298.

To all whom it Wtay concern:

Be it known that I, Lewis A. BALL, a citi- .zen of the United States, residing at Pawhuska, Osage Indian Reservation, Oklahoma 'lerritory, have invented certain new and useful lmprovemen is in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention embodies improvedmeans for connecting the meeting ends of rails or similar parts and includes special nutdocking means for the fastenings forming a part of the rail-joint structure.

F or a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l a perspective view of a railjoint embodyin the invention, squareheaded spikes being shown for attaching the rail-chair, angle-bars, and rails to the ties, said spikes coacting to form a part of the nutlocking mechanism. Fig. 2 is a vertical section bringing out more clearly the arrangement of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view bringing out clearly the formation of the rail-chair and the dis 0- sition thereof when bolts are utilized for "astening the same to the rails.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin 1 description and indicated in all the views 0 the drawings by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the rails, the numeral 2 anglebars at opposite sides of the rails, and the numeral 3 a substantial rail-chair which embraces the basal portions of the rails and angle-bars, as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The angle-bars 2 are of the common type employed on rails such as are now generally in use and are attached to the rails by means of bolts or similar fasten ings 41, passing transversely through these parts in the customary way. The rail-chair 3 consists of a base on which the basal por tions of the rails 1 rest, said base bein r formed with upwardly-extending integra wings at its lon itudinal edges, the wings overlapping the portions of the an lebars 2 and terminating a short distance elow the heads and nuts of the bolts 4.

The arrangement and construction of the chair 3 is such that the" nuts and head portions of the bolts 4 are not permitted to turn after said chair 3 is placed in position. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the chair 3 is nearly as long as the angle-bars 2, and the base of said chair rests on siaced tics of the roadbed. The v .rtical asienings employed to secure the chair, angle-bars, and rails to the ties comprise spikes 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said spikes passing through vertical openings in the lower portions of the angle-bars, the base portions of the rails, and the wings and base portion of the chair. The spikes 5 of course enter the ties and not only position the joint with reference thereto, but attach the parts of the joint to ether. The spikes 5 are preferably rovidefl with square heads, and the nut-loo ing means used consists of a longitudinal key 6, which is adapted to be adjusted longitudinally in such a way to assume a position in which it abuts with the under sides of the heads or nuts of the bolts 4 and with the inner sides of the heads of the spikes 5. In other words, the vertical arrangement of the members 5 is such that they are adapted to hold the key 6 from outward displacement after said key has been forced between the heads of the spikes 5 and the nuts or heads of the fastcnings 4. Two keys are prefcrabh employed, one at each of opposite sides of rails, one of the keys coilpcrating with the heads of the fastenings 4 and the other of said keys coacting with the nuts of the fastenings 4. The keys may be bent at the ends thereof to prevent longitudinal displacement.

Fig. 3 illustrates a construction in which the chair 3 is of substantially the same form as shown in Fig. 1, except that it will be shorter, so as to occupy a position. between the adjacent sides of spaced ties. In this construction the vertical fastenings 5, by which the angle-bars and rails a 0 attached to the chair, consist of bolts, the upper ends of which have the usual nuts applied thereto, said bolts being of course arranged between the ties to admit of ready access thereto. Spikes 5) are employed to secure the rails and angle-bars to the tics, and said s ikes enage the edge portions of the angle-liars and basal portion of the rails in the customary way. The fastenin s 5 when driven into the ties will crowd t 1e angle-bars in place in an obvious way. The chair 3 reinforces the joint means in the customary manner.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the invention is applicable to rail-joints and rails at present in use, or it maybe readily adapted for new rails.

In Fig. 3 the nuts at the upper ends of the bolts 5 will engage the keys 6, and. the latter will thus cooperate to prevent unscrewing of the nuts from said bolts 5.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a rail-joint, the combination of rails, angle-bars at opposite sides of the rails, transverse bolts passing through the angle-bars and rails and. connecting said parts together, a rail-chair receiving the basal portions of the rails and the base portions of the anglebars, r the upper edge portions of the chair terminating below the heads and nuts of the bolts which pass through the angle-bars and rails, longitudinal keys interposed between the upper portions of the rail-chair and the heads and nuts of the bolts aforesaid and preventing turning of either the heads or nuts, and means for preventing displacement of the keys from the position above described.

2. In a railoint, the combination of rails, t

angle-bars at opposite sides of therails, trans verse bolts assing through the angle-bars and rails and connecting said parts together, a rail-chair receiving the basal portions of the rails and the base portions of the angle-bars,

the upper edge portions of the chair terminating below the heads and nuts of the bolts which pass through the angle-bars and rails, longitudinal keys interposed between the upper portions of the rail-ehair andthe heads and nuts of the bolts aforesaid and, preventing turning of either the heads or nuts, and vertical fastenings passing through the upper and lower ortions of the chair and the basal portions 0 the angle-bars and rails, and engaging the keys aforesaid to prevent displacement thereof from the positions described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS A. BALL. [L. s.]

Witnesses G. S. D. MASON, W. A. CHRISTOPHER. 

